1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an interface technique for configuring a storage system, a method for managing the same, and a storage controller.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, many kinds of network connection functions have been employed in storage apparatuses. With these network connection functions, the storage apparatuses can send/receive data or commands to/from computers via Fibre Channel networks or IP (Internet Protocol) networks. iSCSI (Internet Small Computer Systems Interface) protocol has become the standard protocol for SCSI command transmission according to TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), and more and more storage apparatuses that use iSCSI protocol have being used.
Conventionally, in order to connect a computer and a storage apparatus that uses iSCSI protocol to enable the computer to access the storage area in the storage apparatus as an SCSI device, it is necessary that an administrator set information like the initiator name, the target name, etc., in the storage apparatus, and notify the user of the computer of that information, and that the user then set the information in the computer.
Ordinarily, the aforementioned procedure is required for every user, and the RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive/Independent Disks) level or capacity of LUs (Logical Units) to be set differ depending on the user. Accordingly, there has been a problem in that the administrator's burden will increase as the number of users that use the iSCSI storage apparatus increases.
As a method for solving this problem, a technique in which the right to configure the storage apparatus that uses iSCSI protocol is assigned to users, and the users perform part of the aforementioned configuration is possible.
JP2004-192305 A discloses a technique that can respond to changes in the internal status of a storage apparatus that uses iSCSI protocol, where the changes are related to data transfer or data copying within the storage apparatus.